Collapsible umbrella



Dec. 6, 1955 H. HAUPT coLLAPsIBLE: UMBRELLA llllllalll;

Filed March l0, 1953 v z 1, Z 2

INVENTOR: HANS HAU PT) nited States Patent Olilce 2,725,888 Patented Dec. 6, 19,55

2,725,888 COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA Hans Haupt, Hilden, Germany Application March 10, 1953, Serial No. 341,474 Claims priority, application Germany March 15, 1952 11` Claims. (Cl. 13S-38) yThis invention relates to collapsible unbrellas.

It is customary to secure the slides of these umbrellas in the open and inthe collapsed state by. spring operated locking ratchets. Suggestions have also been made. to provide the slides with ratchets which in the collapsed and and open position of 'the umbrella cooperatewith notches applied to the umbrellaV sticks. Difficulties, however, often arise with regard Ato a satisfactory working of the slides and the ratchets whereby the proper functioning ,of theumbrella is greatly impeded.

These diculties often arise from the structure of the hitherto customary ratchets, which exerta locking action on both sides of the stick; moreover,` during the collapsing of the umbrella the ratchetsoften get stuck in the notches and, consequently, do not slip into the handle carrying end of the stick.

It is the main object of this invention to secure la satisfactory operation of the umbrella ratchets or catches.

With this purpose in view vaninwardly inclined flat plane member may be provided in the tubular stick which in cooperation with a notchforming opening inthe ho1- low stick and upon downward displacement ofthe` umbrella slide forces the ratchet into and from said notch.

This inclined plate-shapedwmernbery preferably consists of an inward dent ofjthe wall of the tubul-arstick. In replacement of this inwardly inclined plate-shaped member an elongated 'slot may be provided in the tubular stick wall causing the liberationof the tiltable ratchet; simultaneously the slide is preventedfto rotate. If in order to prevent weakening of the stick Aa short slot is used, the thereby caused short displacement of theslide may be used to move alocking ,spring against the .tubular stick and in this manner toliftthe same from the ratchet.

stick whereby Ystrong radlal forces .are exerted upon the bolt which carries the ratchet. If, for instance, the ratchet reaches into its lowermost notch, which is located next to the lower stick Yportionand -has a: smaller diameter than the upperstick portion, the ratchet will assume a they indeed cause frequent trouble, which is eliminated by the invention.

In conformity with the same a ratchet carrying bolt is provided in a portion of the slide walls and rearwardly projects from the latter. The bolt supporting wall portion of the slide may be formed by a small lateral bulge of the slide. In this case, the bulge covers the ratchet carrying bolt; this is very recommendable, as in this case injury to the umbrella cover is eliminated. The space enclosed by this bulge is not separated from the inner space of the slide; accordingly, the ratchet has a large 2 operative capacity. The bulge is open at its' lower end, which simplifiesv its application.

Upon telescoping the umbrella the catch or ratchet which' has been displaced towards the lower end of the umbrella must again be moved into the notch of the stick since otherwise the roof rods connected with the slide may not be automatically pulled out.

In order to securely enable this procedure the stick has a 'flat outside portion wherein the notch is located, which leads to 'the handle and forms a slide track undernea'th the notch.

It is particularly, advantageous to provide in this .case a longitudinal groove for the catch in the lower stick portion, the notch being formed by a break-through of the groove. bottom. Since the notch should have a small size only to .prevent a weakening of the stick, and since on the other' handl the rotation of the slide at the lower end of the umbrella due to the large distance from the The'lower portion of the .notch is lo.- cated within thehollow handle to prevent entrance of humidity.

LThe invention will now be described with reference ,to the attached drawings.

Inthe drawings- Fig. lis a' longitudinal sectional view of the yumbrella stick, the slide being shown inV a position just before the termination of 'the umbrella closure;

yFig.2 is a 'side view of the lower part of the umbrella stick;

Fig.'3 is asectional View on line III to IH; Y

Fig. `4 vis a side view of. a .modification of ithe lower stick portion;

Fig. 'Sis alongitudinal sectional View of the lower portion of the stick in a further modication of the invention;

VFigx6 is alongitudinal sectional view` of the middle portion of thefumbrella stick shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. f7'is1a cross sectional view of a detail shown in Fig.v 6; 1

Fig. 8 is a side View of a further modification of the umbrella slide, and

Fig. 9 is 'a longitudinal sectional View of `umbrella slide shown in Fig. 8 turned at an angle of 90, the ratchet not-'beiugshown on this -ligure.

The 'ratchet' 1, which secures the slide 2 on the stick 3, 4, is supported' in the sleeve 5 of the slide. Av lateral extension 6 is provided of the slide for the purpose to house the ratchet 1 in such a manner that thevbolt 7 Yeasily mounted 'and may perform a large tilting 4move- The above described ratchet 1 satisfactorily fulfills the object to release the slide without any manual cooperation. This automatically operable release of the ratchet 1 is of particular importance with the collapsible umbrellas, as it enables a farther downward displacement of the slide towards the lower stick, as hitherto customary.

The automatic release of the ratchet 1 takes place, as follows.

In the lower hexagonal stick member 4 a notch 15 and an inclined ilat member 16 are provided by an impression into the wall of the lower stick member 4. Upon collapsing the umbrella the locking nose or catch 17 of the ratchet 1 hits upon this inclined flat member 16 and is thus released.

The inclined plane may be replaced, see Fig. 4, by a slot-shaped elongation 16n of the notch 15 into which the ratchet 1 slides upon shortening of the umbrella.

By a length reduction of the slot the displacement of the catch 17 in the slot may be used to force cap 11 applied to the ratchet arm against the upper rim 18 of the handle 19, see Fig. 2, and to thereby cause the release of the catch 17 from the slot 16a.

If the umbrella is extended the catch 17, which has been moved towards the lower stick end, will enter into the recess 15 in spite of the fact that the slide 2 during the stretching and elongation of the umbrella is not guided manually. This entrance of the catch 17 is particularly difficult if the lower stick section 4 has a smaller` diameter than the upper section and consequently the free space between the slide 2 and the stick member 4 is comparatively large. Therefore, the notch or recess 15 is located in a flat section 20, see Fig. 4, of the lower stick member 4, which has a smaller diameter than the upper stick member 3; this at section is extended beyond the recess or notch 15 towards the outer end of the handle whereby a safe sliding face is created for the catch 17 during its displacement.

In conformity with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-3 guiding faces 21 are provided for the slide 2 in the hollow handle 19 which move the handle against the pressure exerted by the spring 12, into a center position relative to the stick member 4, Figs. 1, 5; moreover, guide faces 22 are provided, along which the extension 6, Fig. 2, of the slide 2 moves, whereby, if necessary, the slide may be rotated into the correct position relative to the stick member 4.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 5-7 the catch 17 is guided in the grooved portions 2.3, 24

of the stick members 25, 26 the notch 15 being formed p by an opening in the bottom of the grooved portion 23.

The notch or recess 15 is located within the hollow handle 19 for protection against moisture. In the opened state of the umbrella the nose 17 enters into a notch 27 of the upper slide member.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a collapsible umbrella a handle and a stick composed of displaceable hollow upper and lower stick members, an umbrella slide applied to said stick and a tiltable ratchet carried by said slide, a notch in the wall of said lower stick member, said tiltable ratchet adapted to enter said notch, means to cause an automatic withdrawal of said ratchet from said notch upon the final shortening of the umbrella stick and to thereby enable the movement of said slide into the lower end portion of the umbrella handle.

2. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim l, an inwardly and upwardly inclined at member located at the lower end of said notch, a locking nose applied to the lower end of said tiltable ratchet, said nose being shaped to downwardly slide onto and in contact with said inclined at member and to thereby cause the automatic withdrawal of said ratchet from the umbrella stick upon the shortening of the umbrella.

3. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim 2, said notch extending into a slot-shaped elongation provided in the wall of the lower stick member and adapted to receive said locking nose during the shortening of the umbrella.

4. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim 2, said lower stick member being provided with a flat surface portion and said notch being arranged in said at surface portion, the latter downwardly extending beyond said notch towards the handle to provide a safe guide for the locking nose during the displacement of the slide within the range located underneath said notch.

5. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim 4, a longitudinal outside groove applied to the lower stick member for the guidance of the locking nose of the ratchet, and a recess in said groove accommodating portion of the stick member to form said notch.

6. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim 5, guide faces applied to said hollow handle to direct the slide during its displacement into said handle and to prevent its rotation.

7. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim 6, the notch to receive said tiltable ratchet being located at the lower end of the stick member.

8. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim l, an inner rim in said umbrella handle, said tiltable ratchet being provided with an upper arm and adapted upon displacement of said locking nose in said slot to hit upon the inner rim of the umbrella handle whereby said locking nose is lifted from said slot.

9. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim 1, a bolt to tiltably support said ratchet, two opposite lateral walls projecting from said slide to support said bolt said walls consisting of one and the same piece with said slide and the wall enclosed spaced being in communication with the inner space of said slide.

10. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim 9, the bolt carrying walls forming a lateral outwardly closed extension of the slide and a one piece structure with the same.

1l. In a collapsible umbrella according to claim 10, said extension being open at the lower end.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

